Mike Tyson is back! At 54 he will lace up his gloves again to face Roy Jones, Jr. on November 28th in an exhibition bout that will be streamed across the country. The announcement and fan interest went through the roof and has many observers reminiscing about just how brutal and incredible Mike Tyson’s knockouts in the ring were.
At his peak Tyson was terrifying, obliterating opponents through fear and power punches. Many of his opponents have admitted that they entered the ring scared to face such a brutal fighter. The crowds were electrified and drawn to the short but powerful puncher. Tyson’s fights were seen as events rather than simple boxing matches, with the question always being “how long will it last?”
The answer many times was not long at all, by the time fans were in their seats the fight was over, with some fights lasting as long as 30 seconds or if you were lucky one minute. Tyson’s manner was to always get in and get out as fast as he could. Here are 10 of Mike Tyson’s quickest knockouts.
10. Mike Tyson vs Eddie Richardson - 1 min 17 sec
Tyson entered the fight against Richardson with an 11-0 record and already making a name for himself as a knockout kid. Richardson was notably taller than Tyson and given his height, he should have troubled the smaller Tyson. He didn’t, Tyson only needed 1 minute and 17 seconds to make quick work of Richardson. Tyson even knocked down Richardson with his first punch and finished him off with a crushing left.
9. Mike Tyson vs Lorenzo Canady - 1 min 05 sec
In his seventh fight as a professional Tyson made quick work of Lorenzo Canady in 1 minute and 5 seconds. Like Richardson, Tyson hit Canady with his first punch and almost sent him through the ropes. A stunned Canady got up only for Tyson to close in and send him to the corner and brutally punch him until the referee ended the contest.
8. Mike Tyson vs Sterling Benjamin - 54 seconds
1985 was a coming-out party for Tyson, he fought 15 times in his first year as a professional. That’s how quick his fights were, he was just dusting off opponents with brutal ease. In his twelfth professional fight, Tyson knocked out Benjamin in the first round in 54 seconds with brutal body shots that made the bigger Benjamin collapse.
7. Mike Tyson vs Trent Singleton - 52 seconds
In only his second bout and at 18 years of age, Tyson fought Trent Singleton, if you even want to call it a fight. Tyson came out quick with fast punches as an overwhelmed Singleton collapsed within seconds. To Singleton’s credit, he got up only for Tyson to flurry once again and knock him down a second time knocking him out and ending the contest.
6. Mike Tyson vs Mark Young - 50 seconds
Fear began to be Tyson’s secret weapon and in his fifteenth fight against Mark Young, the knockout kid from Brooklyn made short work of him. It was on a fast punch and Young, visibly overwhelmed by Tyson, went to the mat. It looked like Young wanted no part of Tyson and looking back at the fight the punch was not as devastating as it seemed.
5. Mike Tyson vs Clifford Etienne - 49 seconds
As Tyson’s career spun out of control and he was no longer the most feared boxer in the world, he could still pack a punch. Against Clifford Etienne and after his loss to Lenox Lewis, Tyson came back at 36 and made short work of Etienne hitting him with a devastating right hand that caused Etienne to fall awkwardly on his leg. Despite “being past his prime”, Tyson could still provide excitement if given that one punch opportunity.
4. Mike Tyson vs Micheal Johnson - 39 seconds
In his eighth professional fight, Tyson took on the lanky and much taller Johnson, all it took was one body shot to knock the big man down and then Tyson followed it up with a powerful left hook to end it. As quick as we wrote this, that's how long the fight lasted, one sentence worth.
3. Mike Tyson vs Ricardo Spain - 39 seconds
Quick and easy, Ricardo Spain tried to stand toe to toe with Tyson, what he got was a quick shot to the face, knocking him down and later once he got up Tyson threw a left to Spain’s chin that caused him to collapse and the referee knew it was over and ended the fight.
2. Mike Tyson vs Robert Colay - 37 seconds
Lighting strikes twice, Mike Tyson early in his career made short work of many opponents. In the case of Robert Colay, who was much taller, as fast as it began it ended. Colay came out trying to establish dominance over Tyson, throwing a series of punches that Tyson dodged before connecting Colay with a left that knocked him down. Colay was out before he hit the canvas.
Honorable Mention:
Mike Tyson vs Michael Spinks - 1 min and 31sec
We place the Spinks fight as an honorable mention because of its importance and not the time. Tyson was 21 and already the WBC, WBF, and IBF heavyweight champion, he spent his 20th year of life unifying and beating the following World Champions to become the big man of the sport: Trevor Berbick, James Smith, and Tony Tucker.
When he fought Spinks, Spinks was undefeated and a very established fighter. Tyson made short work of Spinks knocking him down two times in the first round. It was the second time Spinks hit the canvas in his career, it also marked Spinks's first career loss and he retired after the fight. Tyson on the other hand cemented himself even further as the best fighter in the world at the time.
1. Mike Tyson vs Marvis Frazier - 30 seconds
Tyson was without question becoming a fighter to be feared and he sent a message to all the heavyweight champions at the time by knocking out Marvis Frazier in 30 seconds in his twenty-fifth fight. Tyson, in his trademark style, came on early and pulled Frazier to the corner and unloaded a series of punches and a devastating uppercut that made Frazier drop to his knees and looking like he was on Mars. The referee counted to ten with Frazier being completely unresponsive.
